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Figure it Out



I'm not gonna lie. I want students to love me and love my class. I could say I don't care about either, but that would be a lie.  That's why embracing the practice of telling kids to "figure it out" when they ask me certain questions has been hard for me.  As a parent, I remember reading a book that said, "Don't do anything for your child that he can do himself."  It certainly made sense as a parent, so why didn't I apply this to teaching? After following Catlin Tucker like a stalker on Twitter, I knew I had to try this strategy for my students' own good.

 This year one my primary goal was to provide students with meaningful feedback AS they worked, rather than waiting until they turned something in.  This has proved to be one of the best moves I have ever made as a teacher because I honestly feel like I am TEACHING rather than just GRADING, which can often seem punitive. Students are applying what they are learning in REAL time.  By the time students turn something into me,  they have had the opportunity to ask me numerous questions, as well as receive my feedback as I work with them in small groups.  However, I have been confronted with a few hurdles. Students want me to answer questions that they could easily answer themselves?  Here are a few:

 Q-How do I double-space? A-Ask a tablemate, Google it

 Q-Where do I turn this in? A-Check my blog. It tells you exactly what to do

 Q-What's the date?  A-I won't even go there 

 Q-Where are the Kleenex? A-Look around

 Q-What page is the story on? A-Check the index

 I won't even answer these questions anymore. They know to use Google, Youtube, check my blog or ask classmates. I tell them that I refuse to answer questions they can answer themselves and that instead, I want to focus on providing feedback and interacting with them in a meaningful way.  At first, I felt mean telling them to "figure it out".  However, the benefits outweigh the fact that a few students may have felt I was being "mean" the first time I responded this way.  They know I am not lazy but genuinely want to help them. Also, I don't want them to be helpless.  Unlike when I was a student, these kids have the world at their fingertips.  

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